A woman whose father tried to make her a child bride ends up at Harvard

A young woman whose father tried to marry her off to her cousin when she was just 12 years old is now on her way to Harvard.

Aria Mustary, from New York, was still in her teens when her father tried to send her to Bangladesh to get married after he claimed she was too “rebellious” and a drain on the family’s resources.

The youngster managed to convince her mother, who had been a child bride herself, to divorce him – and the mother-daughter duo, along with Aria’s younger sister, have been going from strength to strength ever since.

Aria, now 23, who will be pursuing a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship, Education Leadership and Organizations at Harvard, has founded an organization that teaches at-risk girls under 18 how to be self-sufficient in an effort to tackle child marriage.

The youngster managed to convince her mother, who had been a child bride herself, to divorce him – and the mother-daughter duo, along with Aria’s younger sister (pictured together in 2013), have been going from strength to strength ever since

Aria’s mother Syeda Mustary, who grew up in Bangladesh, was only 16 when she was forced to marry a man more than a decade older than her.

Just two years later, the couple moved to the US, but Syeda couldn’t find a promising country and was trapped in a strained marriage with few prospects.

The couple welcomed two daughters and for a moment it seemed that history would repeat itself.

Aria revealed on Instagram: ‘My dad came home with a proposal when I was 12 years old and said he would send me back to Bangladesh – even though I was born in New York – to marry me off to my first cousin.

“My mom said no, but my dad argued, ‘She’s rebellious, she’s not going to school anyway, and she’s not going anywhere with her life, so let’s just get her married off.'”

Aria claimed her father said the couple didn’t have enough resources to care for her on their own.

But she revealed, “I finally convinced my mom to pack it up and leave that day.”

Elaborate further, Aria said Insider: ‘When my younger sister was born, I became hyperaware of my surroundings.

Aria, now 23, will be pursuing a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship, Education Leadership and Organizations from Harvard

“I saw how my mother was actually a child taking care of children herself, and I became her protector.

“I begged my mother to divorce him and leave the oppressive environment. It’s been enough.’

Thankfully, Syeda listened to her daughter’s pleas and left her husband, meaning Aria no longer had to worry about being a child bride.

The mother-daughter duo moved into a new apartment in Queens along with Aria’s younger sister.

Syeda set up her own small fabric business to earn enough money to lift the family out of poverty.

Aria said she quickly realized that financial motives were why most of her female relatives were married off at a young age — and now she hopes to tackle it head-on.

She told the publication, “If parents had a better option for their daughters, they wouldn’t marry them.

“Based on my personal life, I wanted to create a program to help young girls secure their own education, gain financial literacy, open bank accounts, and create incentives for families so they don’t resort to marriage.”

Aria’s mother Syeda Mustary (pictured together), who grew up in Bangladesh, was just 16 when she was forced to marry a man more than a decade older than her

Aria’s venture, titled Mai Soli Foundation, aims to “change systemic issues of gender inequality in developing countries” by teaching young girls to be self-sufficient

Every year, at least 12 million girls worldwide — representing one in five — get married before reaching the age of 18, according to UNICEF.

Aria’s venture, titled Mai Soli Foundation, aims to “change systemic issues of gender inequality in developing countries” by teaching young girls to be self-sufficient.

Speaking of the program, she said: “If we continue to dive into the potential of these brilliant girls, it will set off an everlasting chain reaction in their communities and in the world. All they need are the resources.’

Aria said, “I am inspired every day by my mother’s sacrifices.”

The entrepreneur is now going on to pursue a masters degree at Harvard and, celebrating the achievement on social media, wrote: “No matter where you come from or what your journey is, I hope this is a reminder that everyone, and I mean everyone can do what they believe in.

“I grew up as a rebellious eldest daughter, as the lead parent to my little sister, and a child bride as a mother. We had no basis for anything. No money. No resources. And now we are here. It’s so hard for women of color in this country to see faces we recognize in spaces like Harvard.

“To every girl who is like me, who may have had the cards against them, to those who are struggling with poverty or carrying the burden of the system, their families, others, I want you to know that we did this together. ‘